IPKKND FF | Broken Strings (ON HOLD) - Page 22

Originally posted by: shay1990

Chapter Eight - Scream

'I don't understand... Why don't you two just leave her alone? Khushi bitiya doesn't need this stress. Yeh sab karne ko kya zaroorat hai?'

Devyani Raizada sat with her two grandchildren, thoroughly angry with the fact that they were both seemingly intent on carrying out such a foolish plan. As much as she loved them... She honestly thought that Khushi deserved better, and didn't know why she had forgiven Anjali so easily at that. She had only met Khushi on a few occasions, but that was enough to see just how much of a good human being she really was. Khushi deserved so much more then the pain Arnav and Anjali put together had caused her.

'Nani aap samajhne ki koshish kijiye please'

Anjali struggled to pacify her Grandmother - regretting ever telling her about their little plan in the first place.

'Nahin! Yeh theek nahin hai Anjali bitiya. You and Akash aren't kids anymore that you can go around doing stuff like this! Stop this nonsense now!'

Anjali was getting desperate... She so badly wanted this to work. If anything, she felt like she owed Khushi. In fact she did owe her. She owed Khushi 6 years of her life! And this was a good a place to start as any.

'Nani, they need this... They need each other. And Chote is too proud to sort this mess out himself. You never saw what their relationship was like. They completed each other Nani'

Nani glared at Akash and Anjali, not quite believing what her granddaughter was saying. Sure she wanted to see Arnav happy as well - but not at the cost of playing with their lives.

'Well Chote has shown how much she completes him, by ruining 6 years of her life! Hum phir se kahungi... Leave her be!' she warned the two of them, scoffing at Arnavs' selfish behaviour - shaking her head as she got up and walked out of Anjali's bedroom.

As soon as Nani was out of range, Akash turned towards his sister and gave her a mocking pout.

'So... I think it's safe to say that Nani's not very happy with us!'

Anjali frowned at her younger brother - her grandmothers' words still running through her mind as she struggled to place right from wrong.

'Akash! It's not funny... What if this does turn out to be a bad idea? What if Nani's right? Maybe we should just leave Khushi alone'

Akash sighed, knowing that she was torn between Khushi and Arnav.

'But Di, it's working... You should have seen Bhai today!'

'Yes for Chote maybe... But Khushi? She's already so confused as it is. It doesn't feel right to play with her feelings again'

Akash took his sisters' hand in his and looked in to her eyes as he saw them glistening with unshed tears. He too had doubts about playing around with their emotions. Of course he did. But he had spent the last four years with Arnav... He had turned in to a selfish, callous, un-remorseful human being. And only Akash knew just how much he needed something more in his life. And if Khushi was going to give him that something... Then he sure as hell wasn't going to back down. 'Good intentions are always fruitful!' he thought to himself - thoroughly inspired by his own brilliance as he strove to keep his Di's worries at bay.

'Di... You said so yourself. You know them both better then you know yourself. And you can't doubt a feeling like that. Just go with it, and I promise everything will be ok...'

'...Besides... I don't think we'll have to do much anymore. I'm pretty sure Bhai is over there as we speak' he said shamefacedly, realising that he actually had no idea what he had unleashed

They both looked at each other sheepishly, wandering just what was going to happen between Khushi and Arnav tonight

~

Khushi was proud of herself to say the least. She had survived the whole day without succumbing to Arnavs' magnetic presence. It's like his looks had suddenly improved in a matter of a week... Was that even possible? The mere touch of his hand on hers had sent the shivers right through her every fibre - bundling in the pit of her stomach. And to hear that deep, husky voice of his once more; to hear him say her name... It was like an unsettling dream. For so long she had needed to hear that; to feel his presence. It was all so unsettling.

So to keep her distance, was quite the achievement for someone who was irrevocably in love with him... Even if she did say so herself!

She sighed to herself, immersing her thoughts back in to the current conversation that was transpiring around her. NK and Lavanya were at present, seated either side of her around the dinner table; a game of cards laid out in the centre of them. Khushi was happy that she was able to return to at least some normalcy after the chaos of the past couple of weeks. She had literally thrown herself in to the teasing banter as she laid eyes on NK and Lavanya holding hands when she had opened the door to them - and revelled in the familiarity of just having them around her. She needed this, and she was so unbelievably grateful that at least they understood what she needed right now.

'So Khushiji... What's on the menu tonight? Chinese? Pizza? Jalebi's?'

Lavanya squealed in her seat, clapping her hands together as she waggled her eyebrows excitedly at the mention of food.

'Pizza!'

NK, who quite simply could not refuse her, was agreeing with her within the second as Khushi just chuckled and shook her head at NK in disbelief. 'He's so whipped' she thought gleefully, with every devious intention to mock him with this fact later on.

'Pizza it is then!'

Khushi trundled out of the chair; swinging her legs round as she leaned on to the table for support - giving NK a knowing smirk as she went towards her room

'I'll just go get the menu then'

As Khushi ransacked her drawer for the menu... The sudden buzz of the doorbell caused her to stop her rustling and call out to NK in the other room.

'NK get that for me please, it's probably Jiji'

'You got it Khushi!'

NK bounded to the door, ready to pounce on Payal after not seeing her in ages. Swinging the door open, he stopped mid-smile as he laid eyes on none other then Arnav Singh Raizada... His back-from-the-dead old friend.

NK stood was rooted to the spot, too shocked to utter a word, just as Khushi appeared in the room - an eery silence echoing through the atmosphere around them.

Arnav felt as though he had just been transported back in to his past as he envisioned a younger Khushi, NK and himself sitting in Khushi's lounge with a large pizza between them. The unimpressed look on NKs face however was enough to bring him back to the present as he realised exactly why he had come here.

He could vaguely sense another presence next to Khushi as he walked towards her - his gait firm and purposeful; his eyes never wavering. He had better things to worry about right now.

'Khushi I need to talk to you'

NK stepped between them just as Arnav was nearing Khushi. There was no way he was about to let him upset her again. He and Lavanya had just about managed to take her mind off it all.

'Arnav... Just go'

Arnav glanced round at NK, almost pleading him to let him talk to her as he moved closer towards her still.

'No... Not without talking to Khushi'

He looked back round at her and just submerged himself in her igniting presence as she just stared at Arnav with that same blank expression; it was really starting to unnerve him. He didn't know how to handle a silent Khushi. He didn't like it on bit.

She turned around, making a move to go back in to her bedroom - The sheer disbelief inching its way through her veins as she watched him command her attention. There was no way he was going to just traipse in to her house and demand to talk to her with such audacity. She didn't need this.

Arnav on the other hand was getting all the more impatient by the second. It had been over a week since they had seen each other again... And they hadn't even spoken a single word to one and other. At the back of his mind, there was a voice urging him not to; that this is what he had wanted in the first place - but one look at her, and he had know what was going on in her head.

'f**king hell Khush... What's wrong with you?! Say something dammit!'

Khushi was glad she had her back towards him as he said that. She could feel her guard chipping away slightly as she heard him call her by the nick name he had once so lovingly given her.

'Khush... because that's what you always are' he would always say to her as he ruffled her hair.

She wasn't so khush now though - in fact, she was so torn that she was convinced her skin must have been physically ripping under all the pressure she was feeling. How could he possibly be demanding answers from her? She momentarily closed her eyes - feeling the hurt and confusion make it's way through her once again as she composed herself before slowly turning around to face him. It was now or never

'What... Could I possibly have to say to you?'

Her voice was calm; collected as she slowly moved in his direction - the anger so evidently dripping from each and every single word as she almost whispered them to him.

Arnav was stunned. His ears had perked up as her soft hoarse voice travelled through the air surrounding him; floating through his soul - calming his rage. His mind instantly reverted back to a time when his day wouldn't be deemed as complete without hearing that very voice. He took a moment to let her melody absorb in to him as he watched her approach him.

Finally

But he took one look at her and realised his thoughts were heading in to a very dangerous territory - her face was eerily content as she ambled towards him; her eyes never leaving his. She cocked her head to the side as she reached him finally - folding her arms as she looked up at him with an uncertain interest. Arnav could tell he was going to get it.

'What would you like me to say Arnav? Tell me'

Arnav was at a loss... It was starting.

He almost felt stupid as he stood in front of her - Without questions, without answers and without a leg to stand on. But he gave it a go anyway, his anger slowly rising as her sickened smirk caught his attention. He could feel the heat emancipating off of him as he thought about the ways in which she had constantly walked off; avoided him and ignored his every effort.

'It's been over a week... You haven't seen me in 6 years and this is how you want to treat me? You're talking to my cousin more then me, and you've only just met him! And even Di Khushi... What the f**k is wrong with you! It's me for gods' sake!'

Khushi's mind was ringing as she tried to grasp what this unbelievable man, who she, to some extent, still considered her best friend, had just had the audacity to say to her. She spoke again, her voice low and threatening as she kept her eyes trained on his unrecognisable face.

'So what if it's you Arnav? 6 years is a long time. 6 years can change a lot. 6 years, and we haven't even spoken... How could you possibly think that you and me still have the same relationship?'

She couldn't stop herself. She willed herself not to break down in front of him- sensing herself carry on as she saw his face; void of any sort of remorse

'I don't know what you came in search of here... But I honestly have nothing to give you. I owe you nothing'

Arnav was fed up... He was all the while processing her words at the back of his mind, unwilling to give them any importance as he pushed away his guilt deep within him. He knew exactly what he had done... This is why he was here. To win her back.

'For f**ks sakes Khushi! Just answer me dammit!'

Khushi could do nothing but laugh at him humourlessly - her mouth still curved up in a derisive manner.

'Itna gussa? Just remember this Arnav. You left, not me. You showed just how much I meant when you refused to contact me and let me think you were dead. So tell me... Who's the one that needs to explain themselves?'

He was quiet for a moment, her words sinking in as he noticed just how final they sounded. He didn't want to explain himself; he didn't want to drag up a past that tormented him to this day. He stumbled over his words as he sensed her distancing himself from him.

'Khushi just stop this... You're being ridiculous'

Khushi could see that he was starting to get frantic - but she had yet to see an ounce of regret in his eyes. Yes he was probably feeling guilty... But all of this? She knew that it was probably only a result of the fact that his ego had been hurt - of that much she knew. It was only because he needed her.

'Think about what you've just said Arnav. Do you really think I'm being ridiculous?'

His answer came within the instant as she probed him further - mentally willing him to see her side. But it never came.

'Yes!'

Khushi took one long hard look at him and understood completely. He still had no idea just what he had actually caused. And it killed her to no end knowing that for the first time in their lives... he had failed to understand her. She felt her heart clench at the fact that their friendship had come to this junction. It all seemed so concrete now - this was it. This is what had become of Arnav and Khushi. She willed the tears not to fall just yet as she straightened herself and looked right at him determinedly.

'You know where the door is... You can leave whenever you're ready'

And with that... she swiftly left the room, closing the door behind her, and on their strewn relationship.

~

Khushi Kumari Gupta had done it again... But this time, she had left an empty hole somewhere within him - why did their conversation seem so final? 'This is far from over,' he thought, shaking his head - unwilling to accept the fact that this was happening.

This was it. His resolve had broken - Could she not see that he was breaking all of his rules for her? Breaking his promise to himself... Just for her. Surely she could understand how hard this had been for him? Khushi knew better then anyone how he was feeling all them years ago, and he was pretty sure she knew how he was feeling now as well. He had his reasons. Arnav and Khushi were always in it together. And he was going to make damn sure that they still were.

'We run this shit!' he said to himself defiantly, recalling their reputed motto - the one that meant it was them, against the world. And with this final thought... His mind was mind up.

'f**k not having her in my life. And f**k her acting like she doesn't care'

He smiled triumphantly as he thought about exactly what he needed to do to get her back.

'I'm not giving up that easily Khush'

_________________________________________

So there you go! Chapter Eight!

As you can see... Yes, Arnavs resolve has broken. BUT he hasn't reached the point of redemption yet. Because being the selfish moron he is... He's realised his loss, but he hasn't realised the effect his actions had on Khushi. Stupid man lol

But it will happen, all in good time 😉

Thank you for sticking with me!!!!

Shay X